Kansas City school family grieves death of 5 year-old student

By Heidi Schmidt and Alex Love

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — Families of students attending Primitivo Garcia Elementary School in the Kansas City Public School District grieve the death of 5-year-old Grayson O’Connor.

Grayson attended kindergarten at the school prior to his death.

Kansas City police found Grayson’s body on the ground outside the Grand Boulevard Lofts near 10th and Grand Boulevard Monday morning. A small memorial of dinosaur toys stands nearby in tribute to the boy.

Officers made the discovery the day students at Garcia Elementary returned to class following the Thanksgiving break. The school is less than two miles from the spot where officers found Grayson’s body.

The plan to help students and faculty process Grayson’s death includes making the district’s crisis team available.

Angelina Mejia has a sister who’s in Kindergarten at Primitivo Garcia Elementary School and explained how her family has rallied around her.

“We still play with her, and make sure she’s feeling happy,” Mejia said. “And whenever we take her to school, she’s in a good mood to play with all her friends.”

Because of this, parents and those who care for kids who go to Garcia Elementary feel the week has been a little smoother despite the tragedy. Alfred Austin has a daughter in Pre-K at Garcia and thinks every day about how to make sure she’s feeling safe and mentally strong at school without putting too much bad news on her.

“I try to help her write her name like that or help her read a book and she’ll be like, ‘Hey one of my classmates wasn’t there today,’” Austin told KCTV5. “So, it’s like I can’t say irritating because she can’t focus on school but it’s really sad. Let me say that. It’s more so sad that her attention span is now taken away from it but, us as parents we still have to try to maintain it.”

The school district shared the news of Grayson’s death through the following letter sent to families.

Dear Garcia families,

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you a deeply tragic event that has impacted our Garcia Elementary family. I am sad to announce that one of our students has lost his life.

Words cannot adequately express the profound sadness we all feel as we come to terms with this devastating loss. The passing of a young life is an indescribable tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the student’s family and loved ones during this incredibly challenging time.

Our primary concern now is to support our students, faculty, and staff as they process this news and navigate their emotions. Garcia Elementary and KCPS will provide a safe space for all of our students and staff to express their feelings and seek help if needed. We have counselors and support staff available to offer guidance and a listening ear to anyone who needs it.

If you have any questions or need support, please do not hesitate to reach out to our counseling department or the school administration. My door is also always open. We are here for you, and we will get through this together. – Principal Jaqueline Tanner, Primitivo Garcia Elementary School

The police department confirmed Grayson’s death is being investigated as suspicious. They are working to determine if Grayson’s death was due to neglect or if he died by homicide.

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